Silver Lining?

Not many takers on the Stony Beach!

Greyrocks' duties as "parents of the bride" finished officially on Monday 6th, This was only just over halfway through our 100-day stay in Paleochora. Naively we imagined a long run of lazy sunbathing days and relaxed evenings. We had not foreseen the elements that would mean we end August wondering where the time has gone, and how we will handle the brevity of what is left. Those elements are:

1. Short trips to Chania
2. Peculiar weather
3. Wrestling with The Cloud and slow internet speed.

Irish pub - not hospital cafeteria!

1. As mentioned in the previous post, the stay of Chris and Penny was curtailed the day after the wedding, as he had been suffering abdominal pain since Italy. The local doctor said he should undergo tests at the hospital in Chania. We stayed in touch by SMS and on learning that he we would an in-patient for several days we decided to visit on the Tuesday and Wednesday - staying overnight in our current favoured hotel. We took the town bus from the bus station and Penny met us at the hospital entrance. Chris was able to come down to the cafeteria with assistance and his drip, and they told us detail of his diagnosis and admission. We said we would be back next morning and took Penny back into town where she was switching rooms. We checked in and went to the Nea Hora for a swim and to wait for Penny. Later we walked the pretty way to the Old Town and introduced her to The Red Bicycle. Penny went back to her rooms to rest and we visited KaMon - which is the new name for the "Irish" pub and music bar run by Monika (late lamented in Paleochora) and Karl. We wouldn't normally be able to visit when open so this was a treat and we were made very welcome and heard a lot of news. The evening was marred only by an argument with a taxi driver! We returned next morning to the hospital, and owing to text problems and later a long lock-out from the ward we were there a long time before seeing Chris, but when we did it was with the news that he was discharged, so the rest of us had a beer to celebrate and dropped them off from a cab, for some rest, insurance wrangles and flight booking. Greyrocks went for walk round town and took the 4 pm bus back. In the queue we were intrigued by two women who seemed to know us but we agreed we had no idea. Later we discovered they were Juliet and daughter Bethan and we should have known!

Our second trip was two weeks later for a blood test at the private clinic. We used the same buses but had to choose different overnight accommodation - convenient for bus station and clinic and not the most comfortable! We took a long route to the Nea Hora front, took in the newest prettifications and ended up - as usual - with a pleasant light lunch at Akrogiali entitling us to the rest of the day on  free sunbeds. That evening we indulged in that rare summer commodity for Greyrocks:- duck! We found again the only place we know for it: BaoToa on the Kissamos Road. It was pleasant enough, though clearly not properly coated and hung, and the other rice dish was the wrong choice.

"We could stay here, you know, next time!"

The postprandial stroll was a bit disappointing. Any bar in the tourist area was jam-packed and the shopping area had nothing open, so we opted for the bar at the 4* Samaria by the bus station, and had some good wine in a quiet atmosphere (apart from the diesel engines behind the fence!)

Once the letting was done we had most of the day at liberty so we checked out and went for breakfast on the Nea Hora front and spent  some hours on paid sunbeds with frequent swims in very warm and gentle sea, and then in very hot sun walked back for the bus.

2. As August progressed numerous regular holidaymakers of our acquaintance came (and in some cases) went. A major topic for discussion has been the weather. This has always been the case in Paleochora, of course; but this year it has been "something else".We have never had so many days away from the beach for meteorological reasons of rain, wind or high seas:- rarely all at once - but it did happen! Storms shift the top layer of sand and make sea entry difficult. If interested take a look at the stats:

And this is in the context of a heatwave in Northern Europe! So musings happen about the lifestyle for coping being so much better here! Greyrocks can report that today (31st) has been a glorious day with perfect sea and a gentle breeze!

3. August will also be remembered for frustration on the IT front. Our normal internet speed in spiti is nothing to write home about, but come peak occupation in the block and the village it plummets. We have been trying to do things with the 800 stills and six videos  which Stanislav has been drip-feeding following the party. On three occasions we collected an external drive and copied to the laptop, but we wanted to make them available to friends and family and this has been ongoing for weeks as we shoehorn on to free clouds, then pop down to see if there are more (there were just in fact the three sets - things were lost in translation from Bulgarian to English via Greek!), then suffer a power cut, then an internet outage,then discover the allowance on One Drive has been cut etc etc. We still hope to have a short slide show with music ready for next week, and to publish its link here!

A footnote on live music:  After a poor July we have seen an outburst of live music through August - apart from several impressive Cretan concerts the three rock bands form Chania (whose line-ups overlap) have been playing regularly (at Scala or Atoli), and the usual suspects have been jamming at cantina, the old Monica's, Cosmo and Christos, Watch this space for more!

A Month to Remember!

Last night and the previous there were glorious Red Moons, and this brought to mind that the last one (four weeks ago, of course!) was during the Wedding Week, and there have no Greyrocks posts since then. Our regular reader will understand that blogging opportunities have been sparse during August 2018 with its several events that will never be repeated! To date there is an emergent 15 minute video of the "do" itself on - 2nd -  waiting for a soundtrack. (As we are experiencing a rainy few days there is hope for completion) The video is destined for showing to recently-arrived friends next week, and at the September Bristol Party. Here is a link.

Facebook users will find plenty about the week on the group page: Jack & Chloe Paleochora 2018, but this is the parental take.

Palm Tree Pork Shank - enough for 4!

There were some early arrivals - notably Neil and Maggie who would have to leave the morning after the party to go to another wedding and had used Heraklion and a hire car! After initial orientations (and some wine) we largely left them to their own devices through the daytime hours, but took them to selected eateries for the evenings. First it was Red Moon Night so we went to Marias for some typical food and the view, and the next day to Monica's Garden followed by The Palm Tree/Finikas. With sommeliers in the family they had come with recommended quality local wines in mind and both places rose to the challenge :- in particular Valentino aerated and gave a discourse on a very pleasant bottle - a process repeated for the second bottle!

Sunday was A-Day with a fleet of taxis arranged to meet Gatwick and Bristol flights and those who had been overnight in Chania. Ruth was up early to meet one drop-off at Castello. We took some goodies round to the up-market accommodation booked for Chloë and Jack and waved to them from the balcony as they left the minibus. We later went to the welcome drinks meeting at Zygos which had a decent turnout with everyone seemingly happy with arrangements. We then went to Tassos with Neil, Maggie, Janet and Grant and waited until the last bus arrival at about 10 pm to greet Chris and Penny, who had come in from Pisa:- the previous stop in a complicated holiday trip involving Genoa and Marseilles! Getting them into a room at the now-closed and dark Castello was an interesting venture, that left Greyrocks needing a drink at Cosmogonia!

Chloë had planned (and we had on-site facilitated) a series of additional recreation activities for the period. After a planning meeting with key people at Atoli we had some beach time and then prepared fora meal at Small Garden with our two special guest couples, whilst over thirty went for a pizza meal (tightly orchestrated) and then came back to Zygos for Quiz Night. Predictably it started late, but Chris did an impressive job, there was much hilarity, waiter Eleanor worked madly and participated, and we were eventually left to fend for ourselves. Janet somehow managed to get contributions that matched the bill, Our team came last: - with Ruth having fallen asleep!

Other notable daytime events were Felix and Lucas jamming at the cantina, with some numbers from Rainer (and Brazilian Emmanuelle), Ruth teaching George to play tavli, thus starting an obsession, and a scratch game of Pétanque on the beach. Volleyball didn't happen owing to the wind, but Tim led a trip to Elafonissi and posted drone footage on YouTube.

On Wedding (Party) Day itself a team of helpers were around from the point at which Atoli would let us start decoration. It took hours and there were some misunderstandings to resolve with Manolis, but the effect was stunning as can be seen in the slideshow.  Some folk set off to forage for greenery, flowers and free lemons. The latter failed and the greengrocer had to be used, whilst the rosemary (a traditional symbol) was easily solved with a whole bush from Vicky. )The foragers used two baskets - later needed for the "favours" - which had been a headache to source. Having failed to find any in Chania and trying to borrow just a couple of days before, we saw that the Roma had turned up again on the beach road and we commissioned two to be hastily made - later returned as too bulky to travel and thus providing a charitable donation to said nomads!) Charlotte had arranged a programme of hair and beauty appointments for the female helpers, and thus it was that at 5 pm assembly of the beautiful began on the beach. Greyrocks believes the slideshow is document enough of a delightful event! Later on there were two accidents - one requiring a full taxi trip to Chania General - the other a trip next day to Kandanos Health Centre, but details are inappropriate here!

Friday was a day of recovery! A scheduled family (and treat for George) meal at Houmas was abandoned and late in the day we discovered that Chris and Penny would be leaving on the evening bus to go for tests in Chania. Many folk also wanted an early night as they would be walking the Samaria Gorge next day. Taxis and a minibus would be leaving at 7 am. When we woke (as definite non-participants) we received a text from Chloë and Jack and thought the serious wind might have meant no boat back and another plan ditched,, but in fact it was just over-sleeping and caution. Twenty-seven sturdy souls - including a couple of seniors  - had gone. Several parties waited that evening at bars near the jetty for their evening return, and there they all were:- virtually unscathed!

Sunday was departure day for quite a few, but over twenty carnivores shared a whole lamb on the spit cooked especially for us by the brothers at Gonia ton Gefseon, followed by late drinks across the road at Cosmogonia. We went to see off the happy couple as they left next morning for their real honeymoon, and we collapsed. For the aftermath see next post!

Up, up, up!

July has been dominated for Greyrocks by the Wedding of the Year and the Wretched World Cup! As we reach the midpoint in our 2018 stay we also near A-Day when over 30 guests arrive from UK and Athens ahead of the event. This has meant a lot of liaison, strange purchases and fiddly handicraft :- all of which will be "worth it on the day". In between we have been gradually sinking into full "beach bum" mode as folk arrive and the sea improves
So with the theme of things going up, here is how it has been:


1. The Blue Flag is raised! This year about ten days early compared to recent years. It seems the whole administration of beaches has been streamlined! But today the Greek flag nearby is flying at half-mast as part of the three day mourning for the victims of the fires on the mainland. This has poignant meaning for Greyrocks as we pass in each direction the site of the Kineta fire beside the national road to Patras. Up in flames! - so sad!

2. The Spanish flag was raised and swiftly packed away! We are not great football fans., and are disgusted the Russia should have been allowed to host and benefit from the World Cup. (And Qatar next! - FIFA is a cesspool!) Also as ex-pats we wanted to distance ourselves from support for England having too close an association with Brexit! Chloë had drawn Spain in her work's sweepstake, so this - with our Canarian resident status - seemed a good enough reason to fish out the Spanish flag on the day of a significant match. We took it to our tree on the beach and to the cantina. On the way home - knowing nothing of the score - we dropped in at Zygos, and watched through to the end of the penalty shoot-out. On dear! Well it is back flying from our balcony now! In fact the Wretched World Cup had a serious impact on Greyrocks' social life. On match evenings only a tiny fraction of bars and restaurants did not have large (or in some cases) enormous screens. We discovered that Tassos' (Seagull)  was one, and on a couple of occasions spent time there even though we had eaten elsewhere. Germany's early exit took some of the general excitement in the main street away; but when England played Croatia the behaviour of Brits at Cosmogonia had us with our heads in our hands. Symbolic for us of why we left the country!

3. The raising of glasses of bubbly was investigated. The upcoming celebrations have led us into research on sparkling wine for the reception. We had committed to Prosecco but were having trouble sourcing it in quantity, so came upon the notion of a Cretan wine. One that interested us was Zazazu - light, fairly inexpensive, but was it too sweet? We tried it at Monika's Garden, and were offered the other expensive one at the Palm Tree. In the end, however, Manolis greeted us one evening at Atoli and beckoned us over to show a stash of Prosecco!

4. We made two trips up to Chania. The early one was principally for a blood test. We ambled down to the bus station for the 7.45 and were surprised to find ourselves rushed through the boarding process. The timetable had changed the day before and we were lucky to catch it! The bleeding process was completed efficiently and cheaply, so we spent the day wandering around. The only other serious aim was to buy bulk sugared almonds  of the right spec. and with some kind help we achieved this. We walked over to Nea Hora and were shocked and delighted! At last it is becoming traffic-free. We didn't venture into the sea but sat for a long time watching and hearing the angle-grinder, then had a long lunch at Akrogiali and took the 4 pm bus back! The second trip last week was really just to have a break, but we did want to locate some baskets. The latter failed and Plan B will come into force! The high season bus timetable gives the option of an 11 am departure, and one back at 20.00, which has significance for those flying in on afternoon flights. We used these two services. After abandoning the shopping we repeated the walking tour and lunch, discovering that the pedestrianisation has been largely suspended (for tourism reasons?) and got sunbeds for free! The bus that turned up for the return journey was not what we expected. It was a 22 seater and was full! It unnecessarily took the long route, and we had to stop for a child who threw up inside! Not the best end to a pleasant day!

5. The game has been raised on the culinary front. As reported in the previous post we have three new eateries and Greyrocks has now made an exploratory visit to each! Fuller critiques are destined for Trip Advisor, but in essence we have:

• Parasties: flash revamp of Kapetan Dimitri - food unremarkable, service professional but detached, signature dish is chips (!) and they were under-cooked twice!!
• Dionysos: reopened after several years closed - good service, helpful, and Ruth loved a cuttlefish stew!
• Dakos:  a new meze place - delightful! Several super dishes shared and charming service! - going to be favourite in our circle!

6. The level of sand over the rocks has risen. What more can one say? Early in the month it improved, but now we have a set-back with the strange weather since 21st  or so!

7. The sea temperature has risen. Thank goodness! Greyrocks has been happy to swim since about 2nd July - confirming a theory that this is about the earliest one can expect. It has sometimes been too rough since then - but always acceptably warm!

Paleo Update for 2018

Nomads' question: "Which is more germ-ridden: a long-distance ferry or budget airline cabin?"

Greyrocks ponders this as Ruth very slowly recovers from over three weeks of sore throat and nasty cough acquired on one of the ships used in early June, and having started the Fuerteventura stay in October with something caught on the journey from Barcelona! Bob - predictably - followed on in each case!

So June has not been a great month, but here is the annual rundown on observed developments around town. It is preceded by the Spoiler Warning for those that would rather discover for themselves!

(On the domestic front we can report that after three full seasons our landlords have supplied an ice compartment door for the oldest fridge in town!)

Prettifications

The process of resurfacing the main thoroughfares seems to be complete, and it looks good. A more promising attempt at restricting parking on the Palm Tree Road has been made with fixed bollards, but parking - even at this early stage of the season - is seriously problematic, owing to many more hire cars, building on odd plots unofficially used before, and the unexplained closure of the main car park down near the commercial bakery, We have a second lifeguard post on the Sandy Beach. Interesting work is taking place at the ferry jetty, with a sludge-gulping device moving sand from the ship side over to the shore in front of The Crocodile to prevent the Samaria from going aground. (A little beach is developing there and we asked Georgios if he would be colonising it!) There are some new pieces of artwork around, including a sculpture near the Castello. We had a long chat with Dutch Anton (ex Gavdos) and this sent Greyrocks on its first bike ride, to look at Pearl Cavo near the Camping, where there is a pleasant furnished and managed beach, and on the roadside his re-sited geodesic dome. On the down side the private clinic on the stony side has disappeared.

Tourist-catching developments

Airbnb has taken hold - in spite of dire public warnings from the Tax Police about the regulations and penalties. Throughout the village there are modest old buildings which have been tarted-up and given name plaques. This is - indeed  - the fate of the former clinic! Three free-standing villas almost on the Sandy Beach have been built as part of the Villa Europa empire. Next to the Petrakis supermarket a large building is being noisily erected (rooms, shop extension, ??), and there is a mystery building between Hotel Aris and the "new" harbour, which looks a bit big for a private house and is - allegedly - Norwegian-owned.

Both taxi firms are keen to get into "tours" - one of which - involving wine - interests Greyrocks so watch this space! Diane (ex-Kosmar) now fronts a company - Paleohora Nature - with an office on Palm Tree Road which offers all sorts of aided- but only GPS guided - walking, boat and cycle tours.

Restaurant changes

To no-one's great surprise the concern that was last year in Kapetan Dimitri's former premises has gone! The restaurant has a new name (Parasties - not Parasites!), and has been expensively re-styled. Reports differed, but last night Greyrocks and Olga engaged in research, and a Trip Advisor review will follow. Conversely - to everyone's surprise - Dionysos has re-opened on the Main Street with spanking new decor and furniture after many years closed. Castro - up by the fortress - is now fully functioning and going for the fine-dining niche. Finally - just opened where there was a basic grill/giros at the bottom end of the night-time pedestrian Main Street zone - is Dakos, (named after the iconic Cretan peasant dish), which advertises itself for mezes and raki. Needs a try! All of Greyrocks' favourites are still there and - in fact - thriving!

Weather

The cantina at the end of the Sandy Beach!

Ask a local about the weather and  they will say it was a mild winter, but that rain is desperately needed for both  olives and people! Since we arrived on 8th there has been rain! Not enough, of course to solve the problem, but enough to prompt heated debates about Junes past and present! At first we found it remarkably warm during the day, but cold at night and certainly the sea was too cold for Greyrocks ("never before July 1st!"); but things went "pear-shaped" by the next Saturday, and since then it has been a matter of heavy cloud and occasional short downpours that are unpredictable. The wind, too, has been giving problems over the last few days, so beach-time is down On a couple of occasions we have found ourselves in a lock-in situation at Yianni's cantina, when the bamboo barricade has been placed for wind protection and the rain comes through the roof but the tsikoudia comes out to keep the half-dozen regulars cheerful. On Wednesday the afternoon rain was minimal. but the threat serious as the sky was very dark. In the absence of direct sun  made it positively cold in beachwear in the shade of the main body of the cantina, so six of us moved to the  roofless "annex" which has been recently constructed alongside and also offers shelter from the wind. There we spent hours of otherwise unbeachable time on shared interests:  Paleo accommodation options, Goa, baby boomer personal finance and Corbyn/Bloody Brexit! What else matters, we ask? At some point we were treated to special  tsikoudia flavoured with honey and walnuts. Nice!

Beach conditions
Seasonal concessions were sorted early this time round, so on arrival we found everything in place and very little different from last year. A few more chargeable mattresses for the beds at the town end! The line of three tavernas with beach service  - Palm Tree, Veggera and Atoli -  upping the ante in terms of competition, the really flash "shelters" gone, and the most regrettable blossoming of recreational "water activity" hire - including jet-ski! Grrr!

As last year the entry to the sea was particularly easy (rock-free)in mid-June for those who like cold sea, but the storms this week have shifted a load of sand, and it's not looking good at the moment. Greyrocks will return to this key news as the summer progresses!

Three days and nights on the ocean wave

A new route to Crete this year for Greyrocks:- prompted mostly by the time-shift for the Wedding of the Year! It is based on three tightly sequenced ferries.

Ferry 1: Barcelona to Civitavecchia - Grimaldi Lines - 21 hours  - Intermediate stop: Porto Torres, Sardinia
(Ship being kept in service during re-flooring so some irritating no-go policies aboard!)

It was dark by the time we left port and there were now plenty of passengers. We had a few more mini Proseccos and then retired to our comfortable cabin, which all the better for Bob discovering how to adjust the air-conditioning! We didn't bother with breakfast, and the crowd thinned at Porto Torres. We spent much of the afternoon in the A la carte restaurant enjoying some very good Italian fare and a bottle of Chianti as a delayed birthday meal for Ruth. When passengers had to clear the cabins we found that a guy reminiscent of Raw Sex on keyboards was playing in the main lounge and mature Italian ladies were line dancing (occasionally joined by ragazzi in mocking mode). This took us into Civitavecchia and masked the mobile phone bad manners! Disembarkation was easy, but the first roads down to the Ancona standard in terms of condition, We followed signs for Roma which too s on a very long sweep round, but we reached our booked hotel which was perfect - simple, lift, nice bar with Moretti beer, good WiFi and a charming owner, who introduced us to a regular who is Greek.  We considered popping across the road for a pizza but didn't, and we also got away next day without breakfast as we had a serious drive ahead and another ferry to catch!

This would be Greyrocks' longest (planned!) daily drive for the year. It is autostrada all the way to Bari and pretty well signed for interchanges, but getting round Naples in the morning rush hour was hairy, and later the us and downs quite impressive but time-consuming. Comments on Italian driving and service stations have all been made before, and the approach to the port of Bari isn't easy, but we found ourselves in the fenced off area with hours to kill in the sunshine, hoping there was a bar. There was, and we had plenty to watch as a huge German cruise ship was nearby and the punters were returning to it - many on hired bicycles!  We embarked with ease!

    Ferry 2: Bari to Patras - Superfast/ANEK - 17 hours  - Intermediate stop: Igoumenitsa

This is not the largest or newest ship in the fleet and - apart from the cabin - few places to escape from what we encounter every time on the Adriatic route: loud, vain, and numerous US students! But we know they are likely to get off at Igoumenitsa! We ate our decent dinner in the self-service surrounded by them. Ah well! Superfast have a new internet price so we had a few hours with that, and time passed, but we couldn't get a GPS location for determining exactly which lump of land we could see. We were off quickly. In the outskirts of Patras at traffic lights was a group of organised very young Roma children begging aggressively. Welcome to austerity Greece! The well-trodden route to Piraeus is now complete but the toll booths are working so the journey is broken into about six segments at about EUR 2 each. It was also very light on traffic through the afternoon - until after Corinth.

 On the outskirts of Athens we stopped for the cheapest diesel and then went to our "usual" area for a late lunch. There was not much choice this time and we ended up at the first on the shore, where we had our first Amstels and our first Greek salad which came in a strangely deconstructed form with feta separate and doused in olive oil - with no table bottle thereof. Later we realised this was due to the latest self-destructive legislation in Greece. Read all about it! The next post will consider how it is being implemented in distant Crete! Textbook navigation to the Crete quay of the port this time! With - again- ages to kill we parked judiciously and went up to the "usual" bar - which has been tarted up but is still very friendly. We turned away ten different itinerant vendors of watches, chargers and sunglasses. Then we returned and were allowed on board quickly just after 6 pm.

                         Ferry 3: Piraeus to Chania - Blue Star/ANEK - 9 hours
The ship was not the monster one we were expecting but one from the Blue star fleet. This barely mattered except for the absence of an outdoor bar with gyros, which is an ANEK sine qua non! We watched the dockside activity and amongst it was the arrival of two coaches with primary-age children and a few disengaged staff. We discovered our cabin was surrounded by theirs! This was perhaps a vestige of the changed ship and inappropriate cabin number - but it was Hell up there! When challenged as to where any supervising adults might be found we were told they were "eating"! Next morning was more or less problem-free. We watched a very tedious but clever manoeuvre of a juggernaut, and were off before sunrise. We took the coast road to Tavronitis and found a bakery with parking for a restful breakfast. We arrived in Paleo at about 9 am.

  

Braving Barcelona!

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Just a nibble as free tapas!

Barcelona is a big place!! With this in mind we chose to have two nights somewhat outside at Castelldefels. We had stayed there many years ago and knew it was OK for parking, has a nice beach with bars and getting into the city by bus:- something we had planned for the Sunday - is straightforward. That is all true, but we had near disasters on each of the three days involved. On Saturday we set off in great weather, crossed into Catalunya and picked up the motorway for a wide northerly sweep round the city. Naming of roads starts to get a bit tricky. (AP, B, A, E etc) We had Bob's list of distances on each and there was a dispute at one point over whether we had gone far enough. We need a good road atlas for Spain and somehow have never bought one. We became convinced that we had seriously overshot a junction and so came off at the next with no idea where we were. The upshot was a huge, hot extended tour on non-motorway roads, we later discovered to be officially pretty! Eventually getting to Castelldefels we could see the Ibis but not get in! Frayed nerves, but a decent place to stay! We went off for the afternoon walking alongside the Olympic Canal from 1992, marvelled at the Cable Water-skiing and found a crowded but friendly beach bar. As Rajoy had just resigned we toasted a socialist government - of sorts! It was very sunny, the sea was almost inviting and we had a great couple of hours, but decided not to eat but take the bus back up to the centre of Castelldefels for an early supper. Alighting at a random stop we found just the place: Bar 101 - unpretentious, spacious and with a long menu of tapas in Spanish rather than Catalan - so intelligible to Greyrocks! We walked back to the hotel sparing only a minor thought for the weather forecast!

With Rajoy out - maybe!

Next morning it was raining! We killed time but it got worse, so we grabbed an umbrella and headed for the bus stop - only to see the expected bus pass as we walked. We lurked in LIDL and caught the next. It is a 40 minute ride, but interesting and very cheap. It also became very crowded and we were pleased to get off at Placa de Catalunya - except that it was now torrential rain, so we ran into a brasserie we know nearby and had a couple of disappointing tapas. It rained all day, which made Las Ramblas an obstacle course with umbrellas, puddles, and lost, loud and bad-tempered tourists (So unlike our good selves of course!) All bars and cafés were full. This was not nice! We thought of the Contemporary Art Museum and would even have paid. We argued about its location and arrived to discover it closed at 3 pm on Sundays. It was 3.15!  More bar-lurking (a very nice one!) and the bus back. A driver gave us wrong information about two very similar bus routes and we had to walk  a long way other end to change buses. By then it had just about stopped raining. Devoid of ideas and the will to explore we went back to Bar 101 and sat inside for freebies and some warming dishes.  Next day would be Ruth's birthday and "Things can only get better!"

Barcelona: 3 - Greyrocks: 0 (half-time)

The day would have an odd form as we were to catch a ferry at 10 pm. There were several options, and we chose the worst. We wanted a fairly early dinner near the port, and we needed to plan for navigational problems and not exploit free parking at the hotel for an unreasonable time.  So we checked out at 12, left the car for a couple of hours whilst we did a supermarket visit and walked down again beside the canal to the beach, ate our sandwiches and went for a quick drink at the same chiringuito. (There we met a British boy having his birthday too - his First - Ruth's a somewhat larger number !) Then we went back for the car. Even in the telling the naivete of the next bit is staggering! We managed the route as far as the port entrance with little trouble, so decided to go right up to the terminal - in case we could - perhaps - park and walk. Of course we couldn't! We had picked a few Trip Advisor recommendations open all day on Mondays. Mostly they were in Barceloneta. It was a June afternoon: pleasantly sunny after an appalling Sunday. Chances of parking an over-height GB-plated car with all the travelling worldly wealth - for a reasonable price -  in the crime capital of Europe somewhere two paranoid geriatrics would feel comfortable about or could observe throughout a leisurely meal? Exactly - how dumb to have even considered it! So we drove on looking for other beach-side spots and came upon a space near a chiringuito. Never mind TA and the special occasion  - this would have to do! And Ruth's review says it all  - except the "lucky escape bit"! R could not initially get the machine to accept a debit card as it should. and we debated taking the rick of being without a ticket. After getting change and help we settled at a table with a view of the car, Whilst Bob was in the loo a towing lorry arrived and the guys looked particularly carefully at Yvette and her very valid parking ticket. A close shave!

We took sequential walks along the very pleasant prom and then headed back to the port, prepared for a long and tedious boarding process. This time, however we got the documentation sorted instantly an were beckoned aboard, found the cabin and the bar and that they had cheap Prosecco and the prospect of adequate WiFi in the morning. Equanimity was restored - but next day it would be Italy!

The Best of the West of France:- A Finale of Sun, Wind and Rain!

Une éolienne

Last May when Greyrocks visited George and co near Confolens we were drenched and reduced to fishing out our warm clothes. They had only been in their new bungalow for a few weeks and the huge garden was untouched! What a difference a year makes! Now we could be accommodated for a couple of nights, the lawn is verdant and there are vestiges of the 1500 bluebells planted last year. And we could sit on the terrace in the sun! We didn't do much other than catch up, eat and drink; but we went to Lesterps as before for a great lunch, and en route stopped at a local landmark. Around George's hamlet are slogans decrying "éoliennes", and he asked if we knew what that was about. We didn't  and could only think of harps, but they are wind turbines and they are springing up like mushrooms around the area, which is causing great controversy, especially as a test rig has been erected very close to neighbours. Near Lesterps one can get very close to some of the six or seven there and hear the weird sound of the rotation. A complicated issue! In good weather we also took a walk up the hill in St Germain for a view of the river (Vienne) and the whole town.


As planned we set off  on the Friday heading south and spent the night just off the A20 in Montauban. We had a bit of an issue with the printed map and which exit to use, but got to the hotel early to be told there was no prospect of dining there as they had a coach party. Thus we went out on foot round a commercial zone designed for cars and found a mall that was brand new where we wiled away some time until Poivre Rouge opened with its Friday special of a seafood buffet. Then back to base, and next day a run south, round Toulouse and over to the Mediterranean coast to our final stopover of a week at Le Brasilia in Canet-en-Roussillon.

The best campsite in France?

This was out tenth stay and we are usually there nearer to the beginning or end of their season, When we arrived there was glorious sunshine, and with it also being the half-term holiday in England and Wales it was very nearly full! We had one of the cheapest mobile homes, but were surrounded by expensive ones, and little modest Yvette was parked amongst  vehicles with GB and D plates, most of which looked like they were designed to invade Poland!  As the week progressed Ruth became intrigued by the fact that 90 percent of the German ones had the same crest. Mr Google identified it as that of Baden-Württemberg, which was having its Pentecost School Holiday. So: not the most tranquil of times there - particularly round the wonderful pools and in the bar of an evening - but good fun and a seriously jolly atmosphere!

Greyrocks' first full day started sunny and we set off on bikes for Ruth's first such jolly in France for two years. She did well in the circumstances and we made it to our late lunch booking - described on TA! Whilst waiting we heard thunder, then saw lightning out at sea, and by dessert time there was torrential rain. Ruth said in her best French: "Tant pis! etc.. but you are open all afternoon aren't you?" only to be told they weren't and were about to close! The rain stopped and we got ready to ride back. Malheureusement, with wet pedals, wet sandals and a confidence crisis Ruth couldn't re-mount so wheeled the bike back alone! The weather was dodgy for the rest of the week, so we had a day out at the nearest big Carrefour buying wedding table covers, and a day in St Cyprien, and several rides together around the marina and along the promenade. Swimwear was not deployed at any point! But we did have a relaxing and comfortable time, and a last blast for four months of French food and lifestyle!